70 | nzdairy DAIRY SERVICES » Ferdon Genetics Breeding functional & profitable herd cows Richard Loader Seventy-five years after its establishment, the ethos at the heart of Ferdon Genetics remains the same – to breed a functional, profitable herd cow. This has been achieved first by using the stud’s own bloodline to populate the herd, when founder Don Ferguson was at the helm, before moving to using North American genetics in the early 2000s as his son Warren and wife Michelle took the reins. “I guess you could say that our cow has evolved to what we call a ‘modern day’ cow,” Warren says. “We don’t chase the BW system; we are all about cow families. And I suppose we are almost at a stage that we could use our own bloodlines again, if we wanted to.” Established in 1949, Otorohanga’s Ferdon Ferdon Fizz Viyella. Top price of the Ferdon 75 year Anniversary Sale. Genetics contains 220 cows on 90ha; the herd, which produces 92,000kgMS, is a mixture of predominantly Jersey cattle, with some Holstein Friesians and Ayrshires. As many Ferdon supporters will know, Don famously shared ownership of Jersey cows with the late Queen Elizabeth II and exhibited cattle at the Waikato Show for seven decades, with huge success. And the show ring success continues today: Ferdon is home to the current 2024 NZ Dairy Event Jersey Senior Champion and Grand Champion, Ferdon TBone Veneer. With Ferdon’s incredible success in the show ring, Warren is very clear that breeding magnificent show cows has been years of constructive breeding of cows families. “We breed the best functional cow we can,” Warren says. “A show cow and a profitable herd cow should be one and the same. Incidentally, our show cows are our highest producing cows as well, such as Ferdon Comerica Viyella being our most decorated Show Champion; she held the title of highest producing Jersey cow in 2018. “She is not just a pretty face – she and her herd mates are built to milk. We took an 11-year-old cow, Ferdon B Stone Lippy, to the Waikato Show in November; that’s what you want, a functional cow that goes on.” Warren says at the foundation of the stud are the cow families that have excelled - including the Viyella family, originating back to well-known Jersey Island cow Lady Viola; the ‘L’ family and the Flower family – and the sire genetics have evolved to suit the business. In fact, the cow that fetched the highest price at Ferdon’s 75th anniversary sale, Phone Lee on 021 189 4871 or 07 873 7595 Round Silage & Hay • Discing • Powerharrowing • Undersowing Aerating • Tractor & Trailer • Truck & Trailer MUDFORD Diggers Bulldozer Trucks Roller Tractors Trailers Scoop M: 0274 821 806 P: 07 873 7087 E: wolvpak@xtra.co.nz 365 Rangiatea Road, R D 2, Otorohanga 3972 Ferdon Fizz Viyella EXC, is from the Viyella family. One sire they have used recently is River Valley Victorious-ET, which Warren has high hopes for: they had two “outstanding” two -year-olds that were sold in the Ferdon 75th anniversary sale, and many Victorious calves coming through this season. In addition to still very much being part of the show circuit – a hobby shared by Warren’s three sons and seven grandchildren – Warren is also still involved in cattle judging. In September 2023, he was invited to judge the All UK Calf Show, the Jersey UK National Show and the Jersey Island Autumn Show. “It was a fantastic trip for Michelle and I,” he says. “The Jersey Island Autumn Show was particularly special, as Dad had judged the same show in the mid 1980s.” Ferdon Genetics is planning a sale for April 2026.
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